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End Game DIY Loudspeakers
- Thread starter MKR
- Start date
My personal criteria require higher output with low distortions, and preferably better control of directivity at lower frequencies, than what current coax speakers (drive units) can provide. As usual, it is a compromise, and we all choose depending on what matters to us individually.
You mean this speaker: https://www.genelec.com/8381a
These KEF tweeters are pretty tough and the midrange crossed over high enough can give plenty of SPL. But yes, I also have PA chassis in my home cinema, so requirements are different.
These KEF tweeters are pretty tough and the midrange crossed over high enough can give plenty of SPL. But yes, I also have PA chassis in my home cinema, so requirements are different.
So, at least by the standards of what I've been able to audition around here reasonably (in Portland/Oregon/USA), my DIY speakers have left me pretty satisfied.
The reasons come down to:
The reasons come down to:
- Specifically going for "end game sound" with some of the highest quality drivers I can buy, so the parts cost is very high and DIY ends up being comparable to very high end expensive speakers.
- Very simple 2-way box designs, either sealed or very simple port design, so little guesswork there. One was a rework of an existing MTM to swap out the tweeter, but I didn't have to design the box/port characteristics for the mid/woofers, so again kept it simple for me.
- Using either DSP in my fancier setup or simple 24 db/octave crossover for the casual setups (like the Home Theater).
- Appearance:
- The DIY builds I have are ... not attractive, heh.
- Dispersion characteristics.
- Actually my DIY designs haven't been bad on that front due to simplicity and a bit of luck, but they're just not in the same class as truly high-end speaker designs.
A DIY high end subwoofer is not that complex if you want to learn, use good woofers and amps with dsp.
It looks fun to me to make a closed dual opposed subwoofer with 12 inch Scan Speak discovery drivers and FA501 Hypex amp.
The sub has a way better sound, spl and looks than i was expecting when i started the project, i compared it to the SVS SB2000 in REW.
Red line is the SVS (with peerless XXLS driver) 23hz+-3db, and green the dual Scan Speak tuned 22hz+-3db
The sub looks a lot like the Arendal 1723 2S but smaller in al directions.
Making a sturdy box was easy for me i have a lot of tools and experience, the paint job was the hardest part to do for me.
I think for a DIY subwoofer only dual 12 or single 15 or better give you more bang for buck than brand subwoofers.
Its hard to make a better DIY sub than an SVS sb3000 or Arendal 1961 S / 1723 1S for way less money.
To make my sub with new components it cost only in that 1250 euro, without MDF, paint, wool and a calibration mic.
It cost almost the same as the Arendal 1723 1S and it has the same SPl when i put my sub in speakerboxlite with 400 watt@2ohm.
But for me it was worth it, i enjoy the whole proces and the sound of the subwoofer even more.
Speakerboxlite says my sub with 60 liter and 400 watt has 8.3mm one way cone displacement @20hz, with 2 woofers in one box its the same output as one 12 inch woofer that has 33,2mm one way cone displacement thats insane for a 12 inch driver.
The JL Audio E112 has 38mm one way cone displacement and need 1500 watt to do that.
Dual opposed design is a good way to make a DIY subwoofer, even with not that much amp power.
edit
Cone travel and output is more complex than i said above.
For a 12 inch 30 liter box 200watt 8.3mm cone travel to output 3db more only 11.8mm cone travel is needed to do that said speakerboxlite.
My DIY sub is more of a 12 inch with around 20mm one way cone travel, not 33.2
Conclusion The Jl E112 is a beast, but it plays only 2db@20hz louder or so.
It looks fun to me to make a closed dual opposed subwoofer with 12 inch Scan Speak discovery drivers and FA501 Hypex amp.
The sub has a way better sound, spl and looks than i was expecting when i started the project, i compared it to the SVS SB2000 in REW.
Red line is the SVS (with peerless XXLS driver) 23hz+-3db, and green the dual Scan Speak tuned 22hz+-3db
The sub looks a lot like the Arendal 1723 2S but smaller in al directions.
Making a sturdy box was easy for me i have a lot of tools and experience, the paint job was the hardest part to do for me.
I think for a DIY subwoofer only dual 12 or single 15 or better give you more bang for buck than brand subwoofers.
Its hard to make a better DIY sub than an SVS sb3000 or Arendal 1961 S / 1723 1S for way less money.
To make my sub with new components it cost only in that 1250 euro, without MDF, paint, wool and a calibration mic.
It cost almost the same as the Arendal 1723 1S and it has the same SPl when i put my sub in speakerboxlite with 400 watt@2ohm.
But for me it was worth it, i enjoy the whole proces and the sound of the subwoofer even more.
Speakerboxlite says my sub with 60 liter and 400 watt has 8.3mm one way cone displacement @20hz, with 2 woofers in one box its the same output as one 12 inch woofer that has 33,2mm one way cone displacement thats insane for a 12 inch driver.
The JL Audio E112 has 38mm one way cone displacement and need 1500 watt to do that.
Dual opposed design is a good way to make a DIY subwoofer, even with not that much amp power.
edit
Cone travel and output is more complex than i said above.
For a 12 inch 30 liter box 200watt 8.3mm cone travel to output 3db more only 11.8mm cone travel is needed to do that said speakerboxlite.
My DIY sub is more of a 12 inch with around 20mm one way cone travel, not 33.2
Conclusion The Jl E112 is a beast, but it plays only 2db@20hz louder or so.
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The cabinet looks well finished. So you’re running only one sub?
Thanks! i did my best on the paint.
I run one subwoofer but with 2 woofers in it (dual opposed) like the Arendal 1723 2S
With 2 subwoofers on different locations in the room is 3db more output, one bigger dual opposed with the same total wattage and woofers gives 5-6db more output.
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Nice setup
Speaking of which, I own two Arendal 1723 Subwoofer 1 subs. I wanted to build 15" bass legs between my 2-way mains and the subs, to give more performance below mid-range and above subwoofer range. So I got a pair of 15 inchers, put them on 80 l boxes and fired up the DSP and some NC400's. The total cost was a little more than what went into the Arendal subs.
Even expensive speakers have cut corners (lol not an Arendal pun) to save costs. When you put some money into where it counts, you get best results. In subwoofers I'd recommend looking at large pro drivers. I bet your system will best any similarly priced commercial. At least I was surprised what these Eighteen sound woofers can do. And my Arendals are now for sale.
audio.handyman
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2023
- Messages
- 1
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- 2
DIY End Game speakers. I only discovered this term a couple weeks ago and considered that my design sorta fits. For my retirement I wanted something really special and created a modular development platform designed to easily accept different electronics or transducers for evaluation and advancement of performance beyond that of the so-called state of the art. The speaker modules designs specify granite bonded to an aluminum space frame. I now use an ISO 9000 certified fabricator to construct the modules and baffle panels computer milled aluminum plate, built to my plans and specifications. I wire the modules and fit acoustic absorption materials, another testable item. Because the goal was to raise performance up a couple notches there is an obvious need to change materials to those with higher performance. I try to do this for every aspect of the system because that is the only way to successfully raise performance by a big step, realizing and respecting the fact that everything matters. I presently use a combination of COTS and proprietary components obtained from retailers or from the used market. While my system is designed for theater use, the concepts I follow may be of interest to those that have plateaued in their quest for the absolute sound.
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Thx, i like Arendal speakers a lot i have a 1961 series atmos 5.1.2 setup from them, only the sub is DIY.
The blend to the subwoofer is very good, also was it with the SB 2000.
Momomo67890
Member
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2023
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- 17
Yeah but that's super ugly
Looks like a stackable washer/dryer, with a microwave oven on top
design me a speaker like that i want to see where you put the horn and the double 15
Beautiful Speaker!
Roland68
Major Contributor
Avantgarde Acoustic showed how to package something like this nicely 30 years ago.
The DUO PRIMO XD with the horn-loaded bass range with 2 x 12" bass drivers should put the 2 x 15" in the shade.
Endgame, but unfortunately not DIY.
Momomo67890
Member
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- Mar 2, 2023
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- 17
I'll pass they all look ugly.
Sokel
Master Contributor
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2021
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- 6,214
Horns are not mend to look nice but DUOs were never about looks.
Finish and the rest are really good but looks was never mend to integrate with nice living rooms.
hORNS on the other hand is an entirely different story,I know people that would put them as a unit in their rooms.just for the looks,without music.
"Horns" vs. "hORNS"?
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